Weekend Opens (2/19-2/20)

It's officially Ski Week, and if you're not already in Mammoth, Idaho or something of the sort, you've probably got thoughts of fresh powder nonetheless. A couple days of drizzle down here in the flatlands will get you thinking like that.

Our short, new video tour this week attempts an homage to the holiday – a little Sand Section cottage with a cabin feel that we found ourselves calling "more Tahoe than playa."

Not quite the flood of new inventory this week that we saw last week, some of which is sold already. To plan out your weekend tours, try this Redfin map list of open houses – you can sort by price or sub-region of MB by clicking the title on a column. Or click here for the more traditional Beach Reporter list of opens (which may not be as complete).

As always, click on any highlighted address for more pics & details via Redfin. If you tour, tell us what you see, what you like and what you don't like in the comments here.

Sand Section

3515 Vista (2br/2ba, 865 sq. ft.) isn't brand new to the market – it's been around since September – but it hadn't yet drawn notice here at MBC. It was repriced this week to $839k, making it the 2nd-lowest-priced offering in the Sand.

Because the interior has a sort of ski-cabin vibe, we thought the little cottage would make for an interesting, and brief, video tour this week.

Come tour with us below, or try this link to see the video on YouTube directly.

The little 2br place is obviously not much improved from its original condition, but that original condition was a bit more interesting than some homes' original condition. At root, it's just enough, nothing fancy, somewhat interesting.

All the main living spaces are upstairs over the 2 (separate) garages. But there is that bonus space downstairs – sort of an office – walled off from one garage, plus a downstairs bath opening to the back patio (?) that's slightly more modern than the upstairs bath. All the better to use as a surf shower (no one should be forced to shower outside!).

For 20+ years, the home's been a cozy rental, and it could persist as such. Might a young family find it "just right" for now instead?

Restarting this week after some time off, the longtime listing's new price of $2.550m at least reflects some reimagining in an important department.

If the skies are clear, swing by Sunday between 1-4pm to behold those high-on-the-hill views.

Tree Section

3005 Maple (4br/5ba, 3125 sq. ft.) is a very custom 1990 build; it's not quite like anything you've probably seen in the area.

Though the exterior sports a familiar, vaguely Spanish style, the interior features big, open ceilings that show off the wood – more of a cabin-y look than you might expect.

All the living spaces are upstairs, and the bedrooms down, partly to follow the downslope of the lot, and partly because, well, that's what the owners wanted.A dividing wall of sorts between the formal dining area and main living space is built mainly of split-faced concrete blocks. There's a 2-sided fireplace and working, built-in, interior barbecue (on the living room side) that the listing notes is a "unique touch."

The kitchen has been much more recently updated than other parts of the house, featuring newer appliances and a great butcher-block island.

One guest suite is upstairs, but separate, off the patio in back, while the other 4br are downstairs. All the baths need modernizing. (Various other parts of the home show some wear and tear as well.) The master, tucked in back, has a sunken area for the bed that offers 2 bonuses – access to a separate office and the hot tub in the back yard.

The corner-lot home at Rosecrans quite recently became a short sale at $899k and now they're asking for complete offers by Monday (Feb. 21). Boom, boom.

In our October "Weekend Opens" review, MBC called the home a "quirky starter [that] doesn't really live up to its billing as 'remodeled with decorator touches.'" Reason being that "many of the upgrades are recognizably low-end," and there are a "few spots around the house where you see that the remodel was spotty, not complete."

The home was in dreadful condition when purchased in April 2005 (for $795k) by a local agent who apparently believed in the language of the listing description at the time, which said "upgrading this home would create tremendous value." At the start price last year of $1.149m, that may have been true, but asking is now down $250k/-22% as it went short, and it's still not clear what a "good" price for this home – which frankly still needs work – is going to be. Time for the market to decide.

3615 Flournoy/668 Rosecrans is newly priced (short) at $899k and is open Sat. & Sun. 1-4pm.